The gelatinous elastomer material used in the present invention is fully disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,369,284, 4,618,213, 5,262,468, 5,336,708, and 5,508,334, (the inventor in each patent is Chen) which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. These patents disclose the various embodiments of the gelatinous elastomer material. This gel material has many attributes that are sufficiently set forth in the cited patents. However, the gel material has some problems. One such problem occurs when a parallel force is applied to the gel material. The parallel force pushes the gel material so it slides and gathers as a compressed state.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,708, Chen discloses a gelatinous elastomer composite article. These articles, as disclosed by Chen, "include: GMG, MGM, MG.sub.1 G.sub.2 M, M.sub.1 M.sub.2 G.sub.1 G.sub.2, M.sub.2 M.sub.1 G.sub.1 G.sub.2, G.sub.1 MG.sub.1 G.sub.2, MG.sub.1 G.sub.2, G.sub.1 G.sub.2 M, G.sub.2 G.sub.1 M, GM.sub.1 M.sub.2 G, G.sub.1 M.sub.1 G.sub.2 M.sub.2 M, M.sub.1 GM.sub.2 GM.sub.3 GM.sub.4, (sic) ect, where G=gel and M=material. The subscript 1, 2, 3, and 4 are different and is represented by n which is a positive number. The material (M) suitable for forming composite articles with the gelatinous elastomer compositions can include foam, plastic fabric, metal, concrete, wood, wire screen, refractory material, glass, synthetic resin, synthetic fibers, and the like. Sandwiches of gel/material . . . are ideal for use as shock absorbers, acoustical isolators, vibration dampers, vibration isolators and wrappers. For example the vibration isolators can be (sic) use under research microscopes, office equipment, tables, and the like to remove background vibrations." U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,708, col. 3, lines 35-51. Chen further discloses, "generally the molten gelatinous elastomer composition will adhere sufficiently to certain plastics (e.g. acrylic, ethylene copolymers, nylon, polybutylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, styrene copolymers, and the like) provided the temperature of the molten gelatinous elastomer composition is (sic) sufficient high to fuse or nearly fuse with the plastic. In order to obtain sufficient adhesion to glass, ceramics, or certain metals, sufficient temperature is also required (e.g. above 250.degree. F. [121.degree. C.])." U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,708, col. 9, lines 8-18 (emphasis added and brackets added for consistency of temperature comparison).
Chen provides antecedent basis for the phrase "the molten gelatinous elastomer composition" by defining it as follows: "the gelatinous elastomer composition of the present invention are prepared by blending together the components including other additives as desired at about 23.degree. C. (73.4.degree. F.) to about 100.degree. C. (212.degree. F.) forming a paste like mixture and further heating said mixture uniformly to about 150.degree. C. (302.degree. F.) to about 200.degree. C. (392.degree. F.) until a homogeneous molten blend is obtained." U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,708, col. 6, lines 52-58 (parenthesis added for consistency of temperature comparison). As such, the term "molten" has the standard definition of "1 a obs: formed in a mold: cast b: fused or liquefied by heat: melted." Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language Unabridged 1456 (1966). In other words, the process to fabricate the gelatinous elastomer composite article requires the gelatinous elastomer material be in a melted state and formed upon the material (M). The resulting product, as illustrated in FIGS. 2a-2d, is the gelatinous elastomer material, G, lying on or within the material, M. In no instance does the gelatinous elastomer material of Chen penetrate through a first material, M.sub.1, to contact a second material, M.sub.2, underlying the first material (M). Likewise Chen fails to disclose an underlying second material, M.sub.2, that penetrates through a first material, M.sub.1, to contact a gelatinous elastomer material.
A problem to solve is to fabricate a gelatinous composite article that is easy to use and stable for various uses, such as a mattress unit. The present invention solves this problem.